STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BASKETBALL GAMES

BOYS

Division II

Santa Ana Mater Dei (33-2) vs. Palo Alto (31-1), 8 tonight at Arco Arena (Sacramento)

Mater Dei seems a safe bet to win its sixth state title and tie Compton Dominguez for second on the all-time list. The Monarchs already have the record for most state final appearances with nine. Palo Alto’s only loss this season came against Los Angeles Price, a Division V school. The Vikings’ best player, 6-foot-2 senior guard Jeremy Lin, is playing it safe this postseason after breaking his ankle playing in a pickup game the night before the Central Coast Section final a year ago. Lin had 19 points and five assists in a 50-38 victory over San Jose Archbishop Mitty on March 3. In a rematch Saturday in the regional final, Lin scored 16 points in a 45-43 victory. Brad Lehman, a 6-3 senior guard, scored the final five points, including a go-ahead three-pointer with 24.3 seconds left. The Vikings last played in a state title game in 1993, when they went unbeaten. Taylor King broke the Orange County season scoring record in Saturday’s regional final victory over Villa Park. King, a junior who committed to Duke, has scored 929 points, averaging 26.5 points and 12.4 rebounds. Alex Jacobson, a 7-1 junior center who has committed to Arizona, has scored in double digits in nine consecutive games.

Division III

Lakewood Artesia (32-1) vs. Stockton St. Mary’s (31-3), 2:45 p.m. Saturday at Arco Arena

St. Mary’s defeated Sacramento for the second time in eight days Saturday to win the Northern California Regional at Arco Arena and advance to its first state final. Kevin Galloway, a USC-bound forward for Sacramento, did not play against the Rams during their 44-38 victory in the San Joaquin Section final March 3, also at Arco Arena, because he violated team rules. He was not much help in the rematch, however, scoring only nine points and committing seven turnovers in the 37-35 loss. The Rams are led by Joe Harden, a 6-7 senior forward who scored a team-high 13 points in the regional final and had 16 points and 12 rebounds in the section final. St. Mary’s also counts on the senior leadership of 6-6 forward Mark Payne and 6-foot guard Ty Kelly, who signed to play baseball at Loyola Marymount. James Harden, a 6-6 junior wing, is one of three key players for Artesia, along with senior point guard Derek Glasser and sophomore shooting guard Malik Story. The Pioneers have also been getting solid production on defense from 6-10, 280-pound senior center Shawntell Norman. Artesia has won 21 in a row -- including its last 14 by double digits -- since losing to Cincinnati Hughes on Dec. 30.

-- Dan Arritt

GIRLS

Division I

Long Beach Poly (10-25) vs. Berkeley (21-11), 6 p.m. Saturday at Arco Arena

North Coast Section runner-up Berkeley, 13-9 at one point this season, is in its seventh state title game, the most by any Northern California team. The hot-and-cold Yellowjackets are big inside with Alexandria Mitchell (6-3) and have productive slashing guards in junior Jennifer Gross and Jazmine Perkins. Poly has 22 forfeit losses but is ranked fourth in the state by Cal-Hi Sports. Sophomore forward Jasmine Dixon, who has averaged 17.2 points, lives for these types of games. Candice Nichols, who had four three-pointers in the regional final, will be a key for Poly, which needs strong perimeter play and already got the first break of the game. Playing Saturday, it maximizes the recovery time for point guard Jameia McDuffie, who sprained her ankle in the fourth quarter of the Southern California Regional final against Lynwood.

Division II

Fullerton Troy (33-1) vs. Concord Carondelet (29-3), 6 tonight at Arco Arena

This game pits the top-ranked team in the state against arguably the state’s best player, Carondelet’s Stanford-bound Jayne Appel (6-4), who has averaged 27 points, 17 rebounds and six blocked shots. Troy would have won three state titles in a row if not for losing to Carondelet in 2004, when it focused too much on Appel and not enough on everyone else. Troy’s strength is its defense, which has allowed opponents more than 40 points only five times, though Coach Kevin Kiernan expects Appel to score 20 to 25 points regardless. Troy misses injured Lauren Sims’ outside shooting and must get perimeter scoring from Jaclyn Blied, Amanda Sims and, off the bench, Tricia Goddard just to keep the Cougars honest. Troy will also need a strong showing in the paint by 6-1 Arizona-bound twins Rhaya and Rheya Neabors. The task of controlling Appel probably falls on Rheya Neabors, who went scoreless in the regional final against Villa Park.

Division III

La Puente Bishop Amat (34-1) vs. Sacramento (32-3), 1 p.m. Saturday at Arco Arena

Sacramento could be the most dangerous opponent Bishop Amat has faced besides Troy, the only team to beat the Lancers in their last 70 games. Sacramento is good in transition and its two post players, Baylor-bound Jessica Bradley (6-3) and highly recruited junior Vicki Baugh (6-4) lead the break. They average 18 and 19.7 points, respectively. Bishop Amat won’t have its usual size and speed advantage, but junior Candice Brown (6-3) and Colorado State-bound Juanise Cornell (5-11), who average about seven points fewer than Sacramento’s posts, provide quickness and muscle. It will be important for Bishop Amat to get back on defense and keep the Dragons off the boards, as too many second shots or easy baskets could prevent consecutive state championships. The play of junior Michelle Franco (5-11), coming off the bench, could prove pivotal.

Division IV

Los Angeles Windward (29-3) vs. San Francisco Sacred Heart (31-2), 4 today at Arco Arena

Sacred Heart relies heavily on its defense, which applies full-court, man-to-man pressure throughout, and the Fightin’ Irish go nine deep in an attempt to wear down opponents. It’s not anything that Windward hasn’t seen. The Wildcats, in USC-bound Hailey Dunham (6-2) and UCLA-bound Erica Latimer (6-1), have big, capable ball-handlers who have produced a 7-1 record this season against that style of play, including two victories over Spring Valley Mount Miguel. Sophomore Monica DeAngelis has eight three-pointers in the last two games.

Division V

Los Angeles Pacific Hills (30-2) vs. Los Altos Hills Pinewood (23-8), 9 a.m. Saturday at Arco Arena

This is a rematch of last season’s championship game, won by Pinewood, 61-39, after a 17-0 run in the third quarter broke open a four-point game. Two-time champion Pinewood returns its core players, including sophomore center Aly Geppert (6-2) and senior wing players Liz Altimaier and Hannah Lippe. The trio averages 36 points. Pacific Hills will need its two post players, Martina White (6-1) and Simone Shellmire (6-0), to offset Pinewood’s advantage in the middle, and must get a solid performance from freshman point guard Bree Richardson, who averages a team-leading 11.7 points.

-- Martin Henderson